Tantalum

Tantalum is a chemical element with the symbol Ta and atomic number 73. It is a hard, blue-gray, highly corrosion-resistant transition metal in the refractory group. It occurs naturally in minerals such as tantalite and coltan, often together with niobium. The element was discovered in 1802 by Swedish chemist Anders Gustaf Ekeberg and was named after Tantalus, a figure in Greek mythology, for its unreactive nature in many acids.

Tantalum has a high melting point of about 3017°C and a density of 16.69 g/cm3. It forms a stable, protective oxide layer Ta2O5 that renders it highly corrosion resistant and makes tantalum suitable for encapsulation and chemical processing equipment. It is ductile and can be drawn into wires or hammered into thin foils.

The principal source of tantalum is tantalite ore. Tantalum is extracted through milling and concentration of ore, followed by chemical processing to produce tantalum oxide and then metal or alloys by reduction. The largest producers include Australia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda. In electronics, the oxide is refined into high-purity tantalum powder used in capacitors. Tantalum capacitors provide high capacitance in a small package and are highly valued in mobile devices and computers.

Beyond capacitors, tantalum is used in specialty alloys for demanding environments (aerospace, nuclear, chemical processing) and in medical implants due to biocompatibility. It is also used in coated tools and optical components.

Mining tantalite associates with conflict minerals concerns in parts of Africa; responsible sourcing and supply-chain transparency are standard considerations in the industry.